Responsibilities for game management and hunting in Victoria

Animal welfare

• RSCPA Victoria’s Inspectorate Division has enforcement powers under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1986 and Part 4 of the Domestic Animals Act 1994, in order to protect animals from cruelty and neglect.

• The Department of Justice and Community Safety is responsible for developing regulatory and legislative advice on firearms and controlled weapons policy.
• Victoria Police is responsible for regulating and licensing the sale, ownership, possession, storage and use of firearms and controlled weapons in Victoria under the Firearms Act 1996 and the Control of Weapons Act 1990.

• The Department of Jobs, Skills, Industry and Regions (DJSIR) has responsibility for developing game, animal welfare and pest animal policy in Victoria.

Game hunting policy

• The Minister for Outdoor Recreation is the lead Minister responsible for game hunting policy in Victoria.
• The Minister for Environment and Minister for Agriculture provide a support role and co-approve the making of regulatory instruments and preparation of regulations and legislation.
• The Game Management Authority can provide advice to relevant Ministers on game management matters, Including seasonal arrangements and regulatory reform.

Game hunting regulation

• The Game Management Authority (GMA) is the primary regulator of game hunting on public and private land in Victoria.
• Authorised Officers from partner agencies (i.e. DEECA, DJSIR, Parks Victoria, Victorian Fisheries Authority) assist with game hunting enforcement.

Land, water and wildlife management policy

• The Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA) is responsible for statewide land, water and wildlife management policy, including developing regulatory and legislative advice. DEECA is also responsible for:
• the Victorian deer control strategy
• issuing Authorities to Control Wildlife, which can include game
• administering the Wildlife Act 1975 and the Wildlife Regulations 2013 and is responsible for wildlife possession, trade and processing, including taxidermy
• administering the Wildlife (State Game Reserve) Regulations 2014
• determining public land classifications and permitted activities
• monitoring and research on the status of wildlife, including game jointly with the GMA
• managing public land outside of the parks and reserves estate that is not managed by Parks Victoria (e.g. state forests). This includes managing wildlife and the activities that occur on the land DEECA manages

Season modifications, further regulation or closure of hunting areas

• The Minister for Outdoor Recreation, the Minister for Environment, and the Minister for Agriculture have joint legal responsibility for any season modifications that include further regulation (e.g. prohibiting hunting of certain game species, season length, bag limits or modifying hunting times during open season), the closure of hunting areas and other decisions under the Wildlife Act 1975.

Parks and reserves

• Parks Victoria is responsible for managing parks and most reserves in Victoria and the activities that occur on them, including hunting. National Parks and State Game Reserves are two examples. Parks Victoria actively enforces hunting and firearms carriage and use laws on its lands.

• Victoria Police is the lead enforcement agency for ensuring public safety and public order, including leading protestor management.
• Victoria Police assists the GMA during enforcement activities.

Water

• The Victorian Environmental Water Holder is responsible for holding and managing Victoria’s environmental water entitlements and making decisions on where environmental water is used to improve and maintain the health of rivers and wetlands, which includes some State Game Reserves and other wetlands used for hunting.
• Rural water corporations provide water supply, drainage and salinity mitigation services for irrigation and domestic stock purposes. Some of these corporations (e.g. Goulburn-Murray Water) allow hunting on some of the waters they manage and produce information for hunters.
• Catchment management authorities exercise powers over regional waterways, floodplains, drainage and environmental water.